Glen Davis is off to a hot start in his second full season with the Orlando Magic. The power forward is averaging nearly 15 points and 9 rebounds per game, and new Orlando head coach Jacque Vaughn has even named him a co-captain along with point guard Jameer Nelson. Davis never really seemed to fulfill his potential with the Boston Celtics, and he recently spoke about the difference in coaching styles between Vaughn and Doc Rivers.
“Different guys,” Big Baby told the Boston Herald before the Magic took on the Celtics. “Doc is more of a military-minded kind of guy, and Jacque is more of a Gandhi kind of guy. Soft but powerful.
“Doc’s more get the job done, and Jacque Vaughn is more the kind of guy who will ask you, Would you feel comfortable getting the job done? I think that’s different with players. But in my system, I think I just feel better functioning in Jacque’s system. Doc wasn’t the kind of guy to pat you on your back and say, good job, man. He’s more like, OK, move on. In a way that’s positive, but some players are different. Jacque’s a different kind of guy. He pats you on your back – good job. That’s his motivation. But at the same time he still holds you accountable if you’re doing things wrong.”
We certainly know Big Baby is sensitive, as evidenced by the time he cried when Kevin Garnett yelled at him or flipped on a fan who called him a name. Many players would tell you that Rivers is as much of a players’ coach as you will find, but some guys just don’t mesh well with their leaders. Davis praised Doc for getting his career off to a solid start, but based on the production it would seem that Davis, Rivers and the Celtics’ veterans just weren’t the best combination.
